Tags: Vaccines

Safia Ibrahim contracted polio when she was a child living in Somalia. Although it dramatically changed her life, Safia has used her experiences to become a leading voice for vaccine advocacy, as well as the rights of children with disabilities.

In 2019, UNICEF reached almost all corners of the globe – 190 countries to be exact – to help save children’s lives. To celebrate the end of the year – and the end of a decade – we’ve chosen 5 stories from at home and abroad, to showcase how the tireless work of UNICEF staff and the generous support of our donors enables us to defend the right to childhood, for every child.

The holidays are fast approaching, which means last-minute gift shoppers are urgently searching for that special something to give to friends, family or that special someone. In the spirit of the season, UNICEF Canada offers this holiday rescue guide; our top 6 meaningful gifts that will help children in need this season.

Safia Ibrahim is a 37 year old Somali-born Canadian. When she was 1 years old, she contracted polio that rendered her unable to walk. For World Polio Day, Safia spoke with UNICEF Canada about the choice she never got to make but one that has impacted her entire life.

The number of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who have been orphaned or left unaccompanied due to the Ebola epidemic has more than doubled since April, requiring a rapid ramp-up of specialized care in the Ebola-hit provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.

A mass polio vaccination campaign for more than 3.1 million children under the age of five in Venezuela started today, led by the Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

New estimates find dangerous stagnation of global vaccination rates, due to conflict, inequality and complacency

Campaign led by the Ministry of Health with support from UNICEF and MSF

One third of children in Venezuela need help accessing basic nutrition, health and education services, according to preliminary UN estimates. UNICEF has been working in Venezuela for almost 30 years. As the country grapples with the impact of a devastating economic and political crisis, we will continue to provide its most vulnerable children, wherever they are, with the humanitarian support they need. Children’s needs must always remain above politics.

As Ukraine faces one of the world’s worst measles outbreaks, doctors and parents work together to dispel myths about vaccines.